The Well is a subunit of Montezuma Castle National Monument and much less visited than the castle but it's infinitely more interesting. Here are some photos of the "castle", dwellings built by the Sinagua people between AD 1100 and 1425.
This is where the tour buses roll up and it's a fascinating place. But the Well (5512 County Rd 77 in Rimrock AZ) is about 15 minutes north of the Castle. It has a tiny ranger station with one ranger on duty. There's no Visitor Center but she did have the national park passport stamps. One short climb up from the station brings you to this beautiful sight.
The surrounding land has been home to many prehistoric groups of people going back as far as 11,000 CE and some dwelling remains can be seen.
The well is an oasis in a desert but because the water contains arsenic, carbon dioxide and other chemicals, no fish can live in it.
The castle was named after the Aztec emperor, Montezuma, because early settlers thought the structure was of Aztec origin. Apparently the well was named to match. But the well is a spring, and Montezuma never left what is now Mexico City. The name notwithstanding, it's a stunning place and worthy of a visit.
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